The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

Now for the persons to whom he appears, they were seven of them of different conditions; Peter and Thomas had fallen shamefully; Nathaniel was no Apostle, but yet a man without guile; the sons of Zebedee had believed after ⟨p. 466⟩they had seen the Lord, two other Disciples are not named, and toward all these in a different respect is the love of Christ showed: Christ will manifest himself not only to constant Christians, but to such as have fallen and repented; nor only to Apostles, but to private Christians; not only to known and eminent Disciples, but to such as we know not.

Now for the persons to whom he appeares, they were seuen of them of different conditions; Peter and Thomas had fallen shamefully; Nathaniel was no Apostle, but yet a man without guile; the sonnes of Zebedee had beleeued after ⟨p. 466⟩they had seene the Lord, two other Disciples are not named, and toward all these in a different respect is the loue of Christ shewed: Christ will manifest himselfe not only to constant Christians, but to such as haue fallen and repented; nor only to Apostles, but to priuate Christians; not only to knowne and eminent Disciples, but to such as we know not.

Now for the substance of the Story: the things I shall observe for the letter of it, either concern the estate of godly men in outward things, or the demonstration of the Divinity of Christ. About the estate of godly men, I note three things. First, that such as are dear unto God, and sometimes of great place in the Church, may before a time exposed to great wants in outward things. As here the Apostles that were called to be conquerors and commanders of the world, are fain to go a fishing to get them meat to sustain their lives. Secondly, that men may take great pains in a lawful calling, and yet many times get little or nothing: as here they are a fishing all night, and can catch nothing. Thirdly, that great wants and disappointments in the ordinary means of life, do sometimes forerun extraordinary supplies from God. They that can catch no fish in the Sea, find fish broiling on the Land. The Divinity of Christ was demonstrated three ways, by all which they might plainly see, he had lost none of his power by death. First, that by his direction they catch a great draught of fish, that could themselves catch nothing. Secondly, that the net was not broken, though it dragged great fishes to the number of an hundred fifty & three. The third was, that on the shore was miraculously provided a fire with fish broiling on it.